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Post by susanm on Oct 18, 2011 23:26:09 GMT -5
WOW GREAT REPORT....BUT FANTASTIC PICTURES... ENJOYING YOUR TRIP SO MUCH CANT WAIT FOR MORE
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Post by ilovdisney on Oct 22, 2011 5:10:12 GMT -5
All caught up. What a great room you had. Relaxing day you had and RR, great food. Can't wait to read more.
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katmark
"Earning My Ears"
Posts: 61
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Post by katmark on Oct 23, 2011 11:08:54 GMT -5
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katmark
"Earning My Ears"
Posts: 61
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Post by katmark on Oct 23, 2011 11:10:38 GMT -5
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katmark
"Earning My Ears"
Posts: 61
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Post by katmark on Oct 23, 2011 11:13:01 GMT -5
Mark got ready for the pool and headed down ahead of me. I wanted to finish writing out some postcards for the kids and post a picture or two on Facebook. Finishing that, I grabbed my new Refillable mug and headed down to the pool. Along the long walk down the hallway, I found out that I LOVE the animals and stopped at each window to take pictures: And let me stop here and mention something. As many of you know, the CSR is our "home away from home." We have stayed there nine times and we love everything about it. One of the things that has always aggravated me is that everyone complains about what a long walk it is from the Ranchos to the main building. I've walked that walk...and I'm guessing 10 minutes at most if you walk at a normal pace. Now I will tell you that 10 minutes at the CSR was NOTHING compared to the walk we had Kidani. It took us a good 12 minutes or more (and this does not include stopping to look out the windows for animals) to get from our room to the lobby and then another couple of minutes to the pool. The only difference to me is that at the AKL you are inside as opposed to outside at the CSR. Okay, I feel better now...back to our regularly scheduled program. I arrived at the pool and took a few pictures as I looked to see where Mark had put our towels, etc. I found Mark and the two of us got in the pool. The water was so refreshing as it was really hot outside. We talked to a mom and her daughter who had just gotten new glasses and refused to take them off, even in the pool. I went and got a Pina Colada and we sat in the chairs to relax. I have to admit that I finished my Pina Colada rather quickly because I could not stand the LOVE BUGS! They were absolutely awful -- the worse I have ever seen them. I swear they went nowhere near Mark, they just hovered over or landed on me (it's because I am so sweet). I told Mark I couldn't deal with it and said I was going to go back to the room and shower for our second night at DTD. On the way back to the room, I stopped at windows once again and took some more photos: Okay, this guy I saw when I went on the balcony and he was really UGLY (he was on the pillar of our balcony): Then the giraffes came out and headed my way: I finally tore myself away from the giraffes and got in the shower. Mark showed up around 2:30 and got in the shower to get ready for DTD. Up next, do we finally make it to Earl of Sandwich after all these years
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katmark
"Earning My Ears"
Posts: 61
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Post by katmark on Oct 23, 2011 11:15:49 GMT -5
left off with Mark coming back and hopping in the shower for our trip to DTD. We got he car and drove to Downtown Disney and parked the car close to the back side of World of Disney. Passing through the pathway, we saw this: A few more pictures on our way to dinner: I thought this was different: Outside Once Upon A Toy: At this store, I found Mark's Old is Better than Dead t-shirt which we've been looking for the last couple of years. I was so happy to have finally found it. Inside Once Upon a Toy: We made our way to Earl of Sandwich for . We LOVED EofS and not sure why we never went before, but I know we will be back. Mark and I continued to do a little more shopping as we were waiting to hear from our friend Mary as to when they would be at the pool at AKL for swimming with her kids. So, a shopping and hat trying on, we went: The balloon was not going up the night before and at $18.00 a person, we weren't going up this night either: I got a Pina Colada and Mark got a strawberry Slushie while we were waiting to hear from Mary: As we exited DTD, I got this last picture: Up next, swim time with the urchins.
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katmark
"Earning My Ears"
Posts: 61
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Post by katmark on Oct 23, 2011 11:19:04 GMT -5
We got back to the resort around 6:30 or 6:45. Of course, I had to go out on the balcony and see what was happening: We changed into our swimstuits and went to see our urchins. As a refresher, we meet Mary and her adorable girls, Cayley and Avery, last year while staying at the CSR. We hung out at the MK for EMH's that year, as well as hooking up the next afternoon at Epcot. We fell in love with all three of them and planned together for this year's trip, and planned even more time together. We got to the pool and found a round table for the adults to hang out and put towels on two lounge chairs for the girls if they wanted them. Here are some pictures from "pool time": Mark and the girls getting used to the water: The girls and Mark deciding whether or not they were going to go down the slide -- the girls, NOT Mark :lmao::lmao::lmao: After this picture, it was decided that Miss Kathy was the designated slide person and the three of us--Cayley, Avery and I headed to the slide. I went down twice. And NO...there are no pictures of this not pleasant sight. Mark said the last time I went down it he thought I was going to fly off of it. :rotfl2::rotfl2::rotfl2: The girls went down several more times with Mr. Mark watching them while I sat and talked to Mary and Jeff (Jeff is Mary's hubby). I went around and took a couple of more photos: We parted ways around 8:30 as the girls had flown in from Arizona and had to get some rest as we had a big morning planned the next day, and Mark and I had to pack for our transfer to the OKW resort the next day after that BIG morning. Up next, our first park day.
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Post by susanm on Oct 23, 2011 15:47:42 GMT -5
great report and even more amazing pix....thanks for sharing
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katmark
"Earning My Ears"
Posts: 61
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Post by katmark on Oct 31, 2011 20:30:15 GMT -5
great report and even more amazing pix....thanks for sharing Thanks.
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katmark
"Earning My Ears"
Posts: 61
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Post by katmark on Oct 31, 2011 20:33:19 GMT -5
Sorry so slow in updates (I've been sick most of the week). So I left you with us having an early night on Saturday as we were going to our firm park on Sunday. So here we go: I get up at 7 a.m. so we can shower and get the rest of the stuff in the suitcase and then the car before we head over to the Magic Kingdom for our first park day since arriving in Florida on Thursday night. But if you've been following along so far, I'ms ure you know there is one thing I just HAVE to do before we head down to get the car. If you guessed go out on the balcony, you are right. A few of our friends came to say goodbye: Goodbye, AKL...hope to be back to see you real soon: HELLO, Magic Kingdom: And, yes, when you get older like us, you take a picture of the row you are in so you can find that rental car when you are ready to leave: We were there early enough that we could walk to the TTC from the parking lot and passed this smiling guy along the way: We arrived at the TTC around 8:25 a.m. And, lo and behold, the monorail was down. I personally do not see why everyone sees the monorail as the "God of transportation." Every time we get on it, wait for it or whatever...it is down. They were not even letting people up the ramp, but directing everyone over to the Ferry Boat. This is normally fine with us, but the line was long and a boat had just left. I was getting really nervous that we were not going to make it to the MK in time for our 9:05 a.m. ADR at the Crystal Palace. Finally, the Ferry arrives and we all board: Some photos during our ride to the MK: The castle (and that darn crane) are getting closer: To be continued
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katmark
"Earning My Ears"
Posts: 61
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Post by katmark on Oct 31, 2011 20:35:18 GMT -5
We arrived at the gates of the MK at 8:55 a.m. (we had missed the show by the railroad station which was very upsetting to me). I had to go through bag check so I sent Mark in ahead of me and told him to get in line and check in for our breakfast and I would meet him there and watch for our friend Mary and her family. Once I got through the long bag check line (I had the slowest guy on the planet who inspected this poor guys bag in every corner; I thought at one point he was going to empty the whole bag out...I felt so bad for the guy and his little girl who was crying that she wanted to go see Mickey), and I take this picture as I approach the Crystal Palace: I find Mary, Jeff, the girls and Grandma and Grandpa and we proceed to wait for our name to be called or our buzzer to go off. The girls patiently waiting for our names to be called: Avery looking at me as if to say, "are you going to be taking my picture the whole breakfast?" Well Avery, yes I am. :goodvibes Cayley sitting by Mark and enjoying her breakfast: And then it was time for the characters to make the rounds. First up was Piglet: Cayley and Mr. Mark: Me and Cayley: Up next was Tigger. Now this is where we were all a little anxious. Tigger scared Cayley a year or two ago and Cayley has not wanted to see Tigger or have her picture taken with him. She promised me THIS was the year she was going to do it. To give her a little encouragement, I let her wear my Tigger ears when she met Tigger. And then, of course, I had to be in a picture with Tigger: And then Pooh Bear came along: Since I had let Cayley use my Tigger ears, Mark let Avery wear the Eeyore ears: And then came Eeyore: Avery gave Mr. Mark the ears back so Mark could have a picture with his buddy: While some of the group went to the restroom, I got a couple of more pictures before we left: I have to tell you a funny story from breakfast. Cayley was sitting between Mark and I (she thought she'd be okay with Tigger if I was nearby). Mark had gone back for his second plate and came back with a banana. He started to peel the banana and out of know where Cayley takes a huge bit out of the banana. I wish we'd had a camera available. Although, in truth, I doubt we would have gotten a picture because we were all laughing hysterically. It was just the funniest thing. Up next, what is our first attraction after our breakfast at the CP
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Post by adi12982 on Oct 31, 2011 22:36:32 GMT -5
Wonderful update!! Sorry to hear you've been sick! Hope you get better soon!
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Post by ilovdisney on Nov 1, 2011 11:55:37 GMT -5
All caught up now. Loving all the pictures. Can't wait for more.
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